1/2 cup crema or crème fraîche, thinned to pouring consistency with water if necessary

1 cup crumbled queso fresco or mild feta (1/4 pound)

Special equipment: an electric coffee/spice grinder

Preparation

Quick-soak beans:
Put beans in a 4-quart pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and boil 1 minute, then remove from heat and let beans and water stand in pot, covered, 1 hour. Drain, discarding water.

Make enfrijoladas:
Purée 2 cups beans with 2 cups bean broth, including some of onion and garlic if desired, in a blender until smooth (use caution if puréeing while hot); reserve remaining beans in broth for another use.

Toast chile and avocado leaf, turning with tongs, until fragrant, about 10 seconds total. Open chile (wear protective gloves), then discard stem and seed cluster. Grind chile in grinder with avocado leaf to a powder.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add bean purée and ground chile mixture and simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened but still liquid, 5 to 10 minutes, then reduce heat to very low.

Have ready a heated serving platter. Add 1 tortilla to hot oil and soft-fry, turning over once with tongs, until puffed slightly but not crisp, about 10 seconds total, then lift out with tongs, letting excess oil drip back into skillet. Transfer tortilla to bean purée, submerging tortilla in purée, and spooning purée over it if necessary to completely coat top. Fold tortilla in half, using a metal spatula, and transfer to one end of warm platter.

Fry and coat remaining tortillas, 1 at a time, in same manner, overlapping them on platter. Drizzle crema over tortillas and sprinkle with cheese, then serve enfrijoladas immediately.

*Found in some supermarkets, Latino markets, and kitchenmarket.com.

Cooks' note:
Beans can be made 2 days ahead and cooled in broth, uncovered, then chilled in broth, covered.